Racing:Casamento justified the €10,000 supplementary fee when landing the odds in the Juddmonte Beresford Stakes at the Curragh this afternoon. The 4-6 shot was workmanlike rather than spectacular but did what was asked of him to take this Group Two for trainer Michael Halford.
Pat Smullen was happy to sit in second place and let the Aidan O’Brien-trained Robin Hood make the running.
Casamento ranged alongside the pace-setter two furlongs out and forced his way to the front to win by four lengths and register a well-deserved success following his second place behind Pathfork in the National Stakes two weeks earlier.
Halford had also been on target with Hujaylea (13-2) in the Whitney Moore Trophy and said: “We were delighted with him. He settled very well behind the leader and when Pat picked him up he idled a little bit in front, but it’s a great race and some wonderful horses have won it.
“If he goes on to be anything like them we’d be very happy. He’s very laid-back at home, he did the one bit of work we were very pleased with so we decided to take our chance.
“We don’t have any plans yet. We will talk to the team and see how he comes out of the race. He’s the best horse I’ve had by a long way.”
Smullen added: “He’s a nice horse. He was a bit aggressive out of the gates and did the same in the National Stakes.
“When Seamie (Heffernan, rider of Robin Hood) went in front it was important I got him to settle which was good for the future.
“As a result he got very relaxed and I had to stoke him up to go and win and he won with plenty in hand.
“He’s an immature horse still mentally and will improve over the winter. He has the makings of a very good horse.”